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H. P. SMITH.

WIRE BENDING MECHANISM FOR HAIR PIN MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED MAYZI, I918.

Patented July 15, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l- Tim COLUMBIA PLANQGRAPM cm. WAfiNlNa'roN. D. C.

H. P. SMITH.

WIRE BENDING MECHANISM FOR HAIR PIN MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 21. me.

1,309 ,663. Patented July 15, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WITNESSES: lNVENTOR @WW I 3% ATTORNEY 'ruB COLUMBIA PMNOURAPH cm. WASHINGTON. n. C.

UNITED STATES PATENT oFFioE.

HOMER 1?. SMITH, 0F APPLETON, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-THIRD T0 F. EDWARD SAECKER AND ONE-THIRD TO HERMAN G. SAECKER, BOTH OF APPLE'ION, WIS- CON SIN.

WIRE-BENTDING MECHANISM FOR HAIR-PIN MACHINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 15, 1919.

Original application filed February 5, 1918, Serial N 0. 215,500. Divided and this application filed May 27, 1918. Serial No. 236,813.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HOMER 1?. SMITH, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Appleton, in the county of Outagamie and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Wire- Bending Mechanism for Hair-Pin Machines; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

My invention relates broadly to improvements in hair pin machines, and more specifically to new and useful improvements in the bending mechanism thereof. The structure of the present invention is similar to that shown in my application Serial No. 215500, filed February 5, 1918, from which the same has been divided.

The principal object of this invention is to provide means for quickly and accurately bendin a piece of wire of predetermined length into a hair pin.

A secondary ob ect is to providemeans whereby pieces of wire of slightly different diameters and ductility may be formed into hair pins without changing the parts of the mechanism, these differences being automatically compensated for.

A further object relates to means for successively and correctly feeding pieces of wire of predetermined length into position to be operated upon by a bending mechanism.

With these and other objects and advantages in view the invention resides in the novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts which will be hereinafter more particularly described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 represents a detail longitudinal sectional view through a work table having my 1111- proved mechanism mounted thereon or thereover.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken in the opposite direction and upon the plane of the line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view through the main operating part of the bending mechanism.

Fig. 4 is a plan View partly in section and showing parts similar to those illustrated in the preceding figure.

Fig. 5 is a plan view similar to Fig. 4, said Figs. 3, 4 and 5 being arranged to Show the several steps of the process of bending the wire, and Fig. 6 is a plan view of a part of a bending mechanism.

In the application above referred to I have depicted a complete hair pin forming machine, in so far as the several steps are concerned, and it will be noted by referring thereto that after a length of stock wire has been straightened, it is successively crimped in opposite directions and at indeterminate intervals, after which it is fed to a cutting off mechanism whereby it is severed into predetermined lengths, each one of the same being long enough to form a single hair pin.

The next operation is to feed the several crimped lengths of wire to the bending mechanism which forms the principal feature of this invention. That is to say a length of wire NV after being severed from a piece of stock wire of predetermined length is moved longitudinally of its length over a platform or table 1 by the energy of an electro-niagnet 2, or one of a permanent nature, said electro-magnet being successively energized and deenergized by the closing and opening of a suitable rotary switch (not shown) carried by a substantially continuously rotating shaft 3.

As shown in Fig. 1 the outer end of the wire IV is in contact with the pole of the electro-niagnet 2, said wire being attracted by the latter as long as the same is energized. Inasmuch as the wire IV is crimped in opposite directions as indicated in Figs. 3 and 5, and since it is desirable that these crimped portions be located at a proper angle with respect to each other, the wires IV are held against rotation up to the time of the actuation of the bending mechanism. This is accomplished by the provision of a second permanent or electromagnet 4L spaced inwardly of the magnet 2 and substantially below the upper surface of the table 1; the magnetic waves therefrom pass through a mica plate or the like 5. This plate forms a smooth surface over which the wire W may readily slide, and as soon as the magnet is energized by the closing of a rotary switch simllar to the one hereinbefore mentioned, said wire W will be so moved transversely that it may be properly acted upon.

When in this position it is ready to be bent, whereupon a plunger 6 of the bending mechanism engages the wire WV intermediate its ends and midway the crimped portions, it being held between this plunger and an anvil 7. Said plunger is slidably disposed in a horizontally positioned forming bar 8 and is normally forced outwardly thereof by: an eXpansile spring 9, the outer movement of the plunger with respect to the bar, however, being limited by a head 10 on the inner end of the former, which head Works in a slot in the latter.

The anvil 7 is vertically positioned and is adapted to have the kerfed end of the forming bar 8 cooperate therewith to bendthe wire W upon itself. The kerf in said forming bar is of suflicient width to embrace both the anvil 7 and the wire as shown inFig. 4.

The movement of the forming bar 8 toward the anvil and the bending of the wire therearound is accomplished by the opera.

tion of a cam plate or disk 11 fixed on said shaft 3 in co-action with an intermediately pivoted lever 12. As indicated most clearly in Fig.2 this lever is pivoted between the ears of a bracket 13 secured to the table 1 and has an anti-friction roller 1 1 journaled in its upper end for the engagement with the periphery of said disk 11 and a cam 11 formed thereon. Its lower end on the other hand abuts the plain end of the forming bar 8. Said forming bar is slidable longitudinally in parallel guides 15 and is continuously urged toward the lever 12 by a con tractile spring 16, one end of which is secured to the table 1 and the other end to a depending finger 17 that extends from said bar 8.

Owing to the great differences in ductility of various batches of wire and to slight variations in diameter, I preferably pro- Vide means for automatically exerting a proportionate amount of bending pressure on each piece of wire Wwvhereby the hair pins will be uniformly made and each bent to the same degree. This is accomplished by making the ends of the forming bar 8 on each side of the kerf in two parts and pivoting the same as at 18 so that said ends may move toward each, other but will be limited in their outward movement. These pivoted ends of the forming bar cooperate with a pair of spaced adjustable abutments 19 which engage with the outer curved or cam faces of each pivoted end portion. The abutments 19 are mounted on. an arcuate bracket 20 secured at its opposite ends as at forming bar 8 that the pivoted end portions thereof will more tightly bend the wire WV '75 about the anvil 7 when the abutments are spaced close together than when they are a greater distance apart.

After the bending of the hair pin is complete it is forcibly ejected from the bending mechanism by the sudden depression of the anvil and the projection of the plunger 6 outwardly as shown in Fig. 5, it being understood that the magnets 2 and 41 having been previously deenergized. The anvil is depressed intermittently and in synchrony with the completion of the bending operation of the forming bar by the movement of a lever 23 to which it is connected, said lever being preferably pivoted at, one end to the table 1 and having an inclined por. tion or cam. face 24 formed at its opposite end. A contractile spring 25 normally urges the lever 23, and consequently theanvil 7 a upwardly, The hereinbefore mentioned finger 17 carried by the forming bar 8 slides on the cam face 24L so that by the time the forming bar reaches the end ofits stroke the lever 23 will have been moved down: wardly to its greatest extent. s

As an aid in directing the wires W to the foregoing described bending mechanism, I provide a suitable positioning member formed of a channeled or inverted U-shaped guide 26 which is carriedby onearm, of a bell crank lever 27, "said lever being pivotally connected with the platform 1. The guide is positioned between the outer end of the plunger 6 andthe anvil 7, it being raised out of this position at predetermined times by the engagement of the cam 11 with. an upwardly projecting arm 28 of the lever.

27. The guideis normally urged into operative position between said plunger and anvil v by a leafspring or the like 29 as shown in.115 Fig. 2. It will also be observed from this figure that the arm 28 is so located with respect to the anti-friction roller 14 that the cam 11 will strike the former and raise the guide 26 out of its lowered position immediately before the operation of the form- 7 ing bar. I

Various minor changes may be made in, the form and proportion of this invention without departing from or sacrificing any of the features thereof, and it may be successfully used on various other wire treating mechanisms materially different from those adapted for forming hair pins and the like. 7

What is claimed is: a

1. In a wire bending mechanism of the class described, an anvil, a forming bar movable toward and away from said anvil and having a kerf formed-in one end to receive the latter, the end portions on each side oi? said kerf being pivoted to move inwardly toward each other and limited in their outward movement, stationary members engageable by the end portions of the forming bar upon movement of said bar to urge the end portions toward each other, means for moving the forming bar, and means for feeding wire to said anvil and forming bar.

2. In a wire bending mechanism of the class described, an anvil, a forming bar movable toward and away from said anvil and having a kerf formed in one end to receive the latter, the end portions on each side of said kerf being pivoted to move inwardly toward each other and limited in their outward movement, the outer edges of said end portions having cam faces, a pair of stationary abutments disposed one on each side of said anvil and adapted to be engaged by said cam faces when the forming bar is moved theretoward, means for adjusting said abutments toward or away from each other, means for moving the forming bar, and means for feeding wire to said anvil and forming bar.

3. In a wire bending mechanism of the class described, an anvil, a forming bar movable toward and away from the anvil and having a lrerf in one end to receive the latter, means for moving the forming bar to bend a wire around said anvil, and means carried by the forming bar for ejecting the bent wire from the wire bending mechanism upon completion of the bending operation.

4. In a wire bending mechanism of the class described, an anvil reciprocatorily removable in one plane, a forming bar movable in a plane substantially at right angles to the anvil and having a kerf in one end to receive the latter, a plunger carried by said forming bar and movable into the kerf thereof, means for moving the forming bar into engagement with the anvil, means for shifting the anvil out of alinement with said forming bar at predetermined intervals, and means for projecting the plunger outwardly of said kerf upon the shifting of said anvil, whereby to eject the bent wire from the forming bar.

5. A wire bending mechanism including an anvil, means for shifting the anvil, a forming member movable toward and away from the anvil and having a kerf for receiving the anvil, means for moving the forming member toward and away from the anvil to bend a wire thereabout, and means yieldable upon movement of the forming member to store energy in said means for ejecting bent wire from the mechanism upon shifting the anvil.

6. A wire bending mechanism including an anvil, a forming member movable toward and away from the anvil and having a kerf for receiving the anvil, means for moving the forming member toward and away from the anvil to bend a wire thereabout, and a plunger carried by the forming member and resiliently urged into the kerf to clamp wire against the anvil prior to bending engagement of the forming member therewith.

7. A wire bending mechanism including an anvil, means for shifting the anvil, a forming member movable toward and away from the anvil and having a kerf for receiving the anvil, means "for moving the forming member toward and away from the anvil to bend a wire thereabout, a plunger carried by the ,forming member and resiliently urged into the kerf to clamp wire against the anvil prior to bending engagement of the forming member therewith, said plunger serving to eject bent wire from the mechanism upon shifting the anvil.

S. A wire bending mechanism of the class described including an anvil, a forming member movable toward and away from said anvil to bend wire about the anvil, means for guiding wire toward the forming member and the anvil, and a magnet at one side of the anvil and forming member for engagement with the end of a wire guided therebetween to accurately position said wire with respect to the anvil and forming member.

9. A wire bending mechanism of the class described including an anvil, a forming member movable toward and away from said anvil to bend wire about the anvil, means for guiding wire between the forming member and the anvil, and a magnet adjacent the anvil and forming member and adapted to attract a corrugated portion of wire guided therebetween to determine the bend ing plane of said corrugated portion of wire.

10. A wire bending mechanism including a slidably mounted anvil, a forming member movable toward and away from said anvil for bending wire about the anvil, means for moving the forming member, a lever connected with the anvil for sliding said anvil, a cam extension on the forming member, and a cam face on the lever engageable by the cam extension of the forming member adjacent the limit of movement of said member toward the anvil.

11. A wire bending mechanism including an anvil, a forming bar movable toward and away from said anvil for bending wire about the anvil, a wire guide member mounted for movement in a plane intersecting the axis of movement of the forming member, means for moving the forming member, and means for movingthe guide to free wire therefrom.

12. A Wire bending mechanism including for moving the Wire guide member from the an anvil, a forming bar movable toward and path of movement of the forming member. away from said anvil for bending Wire about In testimony that I claim the foregoing I 10 the anvil, a Wire guide member mounted have hereunto set my hand at Appleton, in 5 for movement to and from a position bethe county of Outagamie and State of WistWeen the anvil and forming member, means consin. for moving the forming member, and means HOMER P. SMITH.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the "Gommissioner of Patents,

i Washington, D. 0. 

